Ireland will not be used as a “pawn” in Brexit talks between London and Brussels, Simon Coveney insisted yesterday.

Welcoming the UK’s Brexit policy papers, the Foreign Minister claimed the documents have little detail for what will happen to the border after Britain leaves the EU.

He said: “For the first time we have heard language around the Customs Union partnership. That’s language I haven’t heard before.

“I think we can build on that and talk about how we can create equivalence in Northern Ireland, through devolved Government.

“That can actually reassure the EU we can maintain the integrity of the Single Market while putting the political solution in place that can effectively allow Northern Ireland to have a relationship with the Customs Union that can allow free uninhibited trade on the island of Ireland.

“We’ve been talking about that for some time but the detail is not easy.”

Mr Coveney also welcomed the paper’s commitment to “avoiding any physical border infrastructure”.

The policy proposes EU citizens will still be able to cross the boundary into Britain without any immigration checks after Brexit.

The British government said it is “confident” it can still enforce new immigration controls without a hard border through checks on the jobs market and welfare system.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

But critics claim this could offer a “back door” into the UK for people from the EU.

The paper says Britain will preserve the Common Travel Area between the North and Republic, allowing people to enter Britain without controls.

This is despite Ireland remaining part of the EU and accepting the free movement of citizens.

Mr Coveney has admitted he doubts how this would be achieved.

He said Ireland’s preference was the UK “would attempt to maintain a relationship that effectively involves a continuing membership of the Customs Union.”

Mr Coveney added: “In the paper we saw yesterday there are some movements in that direction.

“There was a caveat that that would only work for goods that come into the UK that have a destination within the EU, which I think is totally unworkable.”

Speaking ahead of the paper’s release, UK Prime Minister Theresa May stated her commitment to a seamless border.

Simon Coveney inspects the Guard of Veterans at the Curragh Camp for the Defence Forces Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony in 2014 (Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)

She also insisted rights under the Good Friday Agreement, such as Irish citizenship, would be protected after Brexit.

Brussels has stated talks on trade cannot go ahead until the question of the border has been resolved and Mr Coveney has insisted Ireland will not be used “as a pawn in any bigger negotiation”.

He said: “We will be realistic and fair but we will also be stubborn in relation to defending Irish interests.”

But Mr Coveney admitted Ireland still needs to be prepared for the “worst case scenario”.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said he looked forward to hearing the EU’s proposals. He added: “In committing to keep the Common Travel Area, which has existed for nearly a century, we’re making sure UK and Irish citizens will continue to be able to travel, live, work and study across both countries.”

But Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane rapped Downing Street’s approach.

He said: “It is trying to use the unique situation of Ireland as a bargaining chip for concessions towards a wider ‘frictionless’ Customs Union between Britain and the EU.”